Burress has torn rotator cuff, could be done for the year

For the first time in five years, Plaxico Burress has had a full offseason with a team to prepare for the campaign to come. This year, he could be done before even the first preseason game.

Per a league source, Burress has a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. The injury happened Thursday after Burress hit the ground hard while trying to make a catch.

Burress, who turns 36 on Monday, spent most of 2012 looking for a job before signing late in the year with the Steelers, the team that made him a first-round draft choice in 2000. He re-signed with the Steelers for another year, and he was expected to serve as a large target for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, especially in the red zone.

For now, it’s feared that the injury could end Plaxico’s season. No final decision has been made as to whether he’ll potentially return.

The Steelers, who lost Mike Wallace in free agency, could look outside the organization for help at the position.

I wonder if he is wishing he had actually gotten a college diploma at MSU and saved and invested his ungodly salaries received over some dozen years, rather than making trouble and acting the fool that ENTIRE time span? At this point in his life his injury is more than likely career ending. Another sad, yet typical story for the career/life arch of far too many NFL players. They train for one and ONLY one thing their entire lives, and their concept of the future goes this deep: Now, and NOT Now.

Plax – get well. But he always seemed awkward playing and somewhat uncoordinated. Difficult to watch him at times. Like Mike Wallace in a way. Fitting he falls and does in his shoulder and likely his career. Amazing that year he had with the Giants though. Steelers wil be fine without him. Gilreath now can make the team.

I obviously am not a Steelers fan but this sucks. I don’t want any player I root for or against to suffer injuries such as a torn rotator cuff. I hope he recovers fully and is around this time next year to give it another shot.

I doubt they’ll go outside the organization to replace him. They might bring in another receiver as a camp body, but Plaxico was on the verge of being cut anyway. He was fighting for the fifth receiver spot behind Brown, Sanders, Cotchery, and 3rd round pick Wheaton. The guys he was competing with, David Gilreath and Justin Brown, can both play on special teams.

Come on people–why all the hate–what’s that about?? Most of us couldn’t do 10% of what these guys can do. The gun comments and the comments on his finances—do you really know what’s in his bank accout?? I’d like to have a piece of what he has instead of grinding like I do to pay my kids tuition and my mortgage! Consider this–he’s human just like us and as a human has alms the faults that come along with the species—I wish him a the best. I enjoyed watching him play though I submit this does not look good for his career continuing.

The above comment was 6rings post to Pitta being out for the season. Karma indeed.
–
Dennis Pitta is a break-out player that was on the verge of becoming special for the Ravens………Plaxico Burress is a dying dinosaur that was trying to have one last hurrah with the team that drafted him. Who loses out more in this?

Plax wasn’t a guarantee to even make the team and if he did it was as the 5th receiver.

Pcoisma, Plax wasn’t signed to replace Wallace. Wheaton was drafted to replace Wallace, who was terrible last year. It’ll be nice to have a young WR who gives more than 50% and isn’t afraid to catch the ball when he knows he will get hit.

That is still a top five receiver tandem in the NFL today.
————————————————-

This is the funniest thing I’ve heard so far today, but it’s still early.

See also: Falcons, Giants, Broncos, Cowboys, Packers, Saints, Bengals, Ravens, Buccaneers, and I’m sure there are at least a few other teams with WR and TE duos that are way better than Sanders and Brown. Not even close to top 5.

As the 5th WR on the roster behind Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Markus Wheaton, and Jerricho Cotchery, Plaxico was no guarantee to make the team even if he were healthy (because teams usually like their 5th WR to be able to contribute on special teams, which Burress would not).

Everyone saying Plax wasn’t going to make the team, you couldn’t be more wrong. While Brown and Sanders are both very good receivers and I like Cotchery as a possession guy, there is something to be said for the guy that you can run to the back of the endzone to go up and get one. Yeah, he’s 36 and wasn’t going to be lighting up any corners on a 9 route, but he is 6’5″.

When you are talking about a team that was 22nd in scoring last season that is now minus Mike Wallace and Heath Miller, who accounted for 16 of the teams 27 receiving touchdowns, that’s the kind of target you’re going to miss.

steelerben:
Burress’ height is overrated. Why wasn’t he utilized more last season? And why did Roethlisberger only throw 17 TD passes in 2004, when Burress was in his prime?
That “jump-ball-in-the-end-zone” plan looks good on paper, but it never was realized, at least not in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have yet to replace Santonio Holmes, whose yards-after-catches were remarkable and spectacular. Perhaps this Wheaton they drafted will be that kind of receiver.

That sucks for Plax. I’d be nice to see him come back but it is tough at this stage of his career. I love watching gigantic receivers play, even if they are on a rival team. I believe he would have been better than 4th or 5th option but I do appreciate the Steeler fan’s confidence in what they have on the roster.

Why are there so many negative comments being posted. The man has had a serious injury and I’m reading joke and negative comments. Yes Plax did something wrong in the past but who hasn’t. By the way he paid a pretty high price for that mistake. Good luck with you surgery Plaxico. Shame on all the people who are making negative comments.